This is a discussion on WPT changes to 6max at 36 players within the online poker forums, in the Poker News section; Here's a post from Allen Kessler on Facebook
What do you think of this?
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Recently there has been a new twist on how the final stages of

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Recently there has been a new twist on how the final stages of WPT main events are played out. After playing 9/10 handed for several days, the events are changed to 6 max starting at 36 players.

This format is fine for one event per year (Bay 101), but now has been added to other events including the lapc, and the recent thunder valley event.
This change occurs right as the prize money begins to escalate and completely alters the play up to the final table. In essence, going to 6 max starting shorthanded with only 36 players left, is actually 4-5 handed play for the most part.

Check the updates from the recent event in thunder valley. You'll notice from 36 down to the final table nearly all the hands dealt are 4 or 5 handed. The upside to this is that the final table rates be deeper due to the fact that 4-5 handed play forces players to defend blinds more often and attempt steals more, thereby forcing the action and bustouts. The downside is that players have played for several days of full ring poker to get to this point, and have to survive huge variance 4-5 handed play in order to make the final table. The deeper final table is offset by high variance short handed play for the final 6 tables.

The system wasn't broken for the past 12 years and there's no reason to change the entire dynamics of these main events just because 36 players are left.
For many players in this position, this is their one shot at a wpt title and suddenly the rules have changed dramatically. The extra play at the final table, if any, is offset by forcing 4-5 handed play, in what was a several day 9 handed event, for the final 6 tables. Now, when all the money and prestige is on the line, the event becomes 4-5 handed and a series of huge swing pots until the final table is reached.

Th old system was fine. Look at the last borgata event. They played down normally without going 6 handed at 36 and the avg stack at the final table was over 60 big blinds. 9 handed play naturally gets to 6-8 handed play anyway, as the final few tables break down. There's no reason to increase variance at such a crucial stage by forcing 4-5 handed play.

The system wasn't broken for the past 12 years and there's no reason to change the entire dynamics of these events just because 36 players are left.
If these events want to continue this format maybe they should rename them wpt mix max main events. 9-10 handed until 36 players, then 4-5 handed until the final table.

I realize a lot of online pros prefer short handed play late, but the wpt is not tailored to online pros. It's supposed to be an event where on any given day, anyone can win.

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#2

24th March 2014, 7:27 AM

wanderingthehall [253]

Poker at: carbon poker

Game: holdem

Ugh, that sounds horrible. If I ever have the money to play in big events (which is most likely never) I would be avoiding these!

#3

28th March 2014, 12:54 PM

Alecks [1]

Game: holdem

re: Poker & WPT changes to 6max at 36 players

I actually like this, though I would prefer 6max from hand 1. Simply changing to 6max will not increase variance... for people who know how to play 6max it'll decrease it. Someone who wins the title will be playing 4-5 handed at some point regardless. This would actually help the every day schmoe who doesn't quite know how to play 6max as optimally as others by getting them accustomed to 6max play prior to the point that it's the most important (last 4-5.) Instead they get a little bit of a chance to familiarize themselves with the play at lower blind levels.

#4

28th March 2014, 4:58 PM

Karozi615 [506]

Poker at: Bovada

Game: NL

nah Alecks, totally disagree
full ring is a cornerstone of most major events
6max
1. substantially increases the edge that MTT pros have, hurting recreational players. increase blinds/antes would dwindle stacks quickly and it forces ranges to widen, which means rec players have to make more tough decisions
2. it does increase variance, maybe not substantially but it does.
I don't understand the implementation of all these new rules and regulations, this is almost as ridiculous as the shot clock